Boxing: Williams stays undefeated with win

BOXING

Lightweight Hylon Williams, Jr. raised his undefeated record to 11-0 (3 KOs) after outpointing Baudel Cardenas, 18-18-2 (6 KOs), of Mexico at the Toyota Center on Aug. 22. The fight, staged by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, was a preliminary bout to former world lightweight titleholder Juan Diaz's 12-round victory over Paul Malignaggi.

It was little more than a glorified sparring session for Williams, 19, who effortlessly dictated the action against the seasoned and aggressive Mexican. He kept Cardenas at bay with an educated left jab and stepped in with rapid-fire combinations at opportune moments.

The left hook turned out to be William's most damaging weapon of the night. Late in the third round, he dropped Cardenas with a deflating hook to the belly, and sent Cardenas crumpling to the canvas again with check hook to the jaw in the fourth. A veteran of 38 professional fights, Cardenas proved tough and lasted to hear the final bell.

“With the two knockdowns, I see my power starting to come into play,” said Williams, who gave himself a grade of eight and half out of ten for his performance. “I just had to use my youth, my skills and my abilities.”

Williams said that sparring countless rounds with Rocky Juarez helped him immensely against Cardenas, an aggressive pressure fighter like Juarez. The sparring sessions have been mutually beneficial as Juarez, 28-4-1 (20 KOs), is preparing to fight Chris John of Indonesia for the WBA featherweight title in Las Vegas on Sept. 19.

“I've enjoyed helping Rocky get ready for his fight for the Chris John fight because I have a similar style to Chris John as far as moving and throwing a lot of punches,” Williams, Jr. said. “I hope the work that I'm giving Rocky will move him the step forward to win the title.”

Williams was introduced to boxing by his father Hylon “Ced” Williams, Sr. as a preteen mainly to keep him out of trouble. The older Williams, a former amateur boxer, had run afoul of the law and didn't want his son to make the same mistake. He knew the rigors of boxing would inculcate discipline and confidence in his son, but little did he realize he would develop into a decorated amateur and professional prospect.

“It just reassures me that dreams do come true,” Williams, Sr. said.

It is not uncommon in boxing for fathers to train their sons, but Williams Sr. is cognizant of the fact that, more often than not, that relationship turns sour as professional and personal issues collide. Superstars Roy Jones, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather are prime examples of fighters who feuded with their fathers and eventually fired them as trainers.

In order to maintain a delicate balance and distance, the Williams pair has surrounded themselves with a cohesive team anchored by manager Willie Savannah who has guided the career of Diaz, a former triple-crown lightweight titleholder.

“I try to treat him like an adult instead of a child,” Williams, Sr. said. “Sometimes he still falls on deaf ears. He doesn't listen to me all the time. That's why I brought in Derwin Richards. He's a quality trainer. And Ronnie Shields is advising us. It works out perfectly.”

“Sometimes he gets on deaf ears with Derwin and that's when he turns to me,” Williams, Sr. added. “I'm not getting out of the picture but kind of sidestepping because when he sees me in his corner he's got reassurance.”

Since turning pro 16 moths ago, Williams has been on a whirlwind schedule, chalking up 11 bouts in 16 months, fighting from Puerto Rico to Las Vegas and everywhere in between. Returning to Houston is always a welcome bonus, he said.

“Who wouldn't like to fight at home?” Williams, Jr. said. “You have your hometown fans to come out and support you. This is my third professional fight at home and my fan base is getting bigger.”

Despite decking Cardenas twice, Williams' knockout ratio remains relatively low at 27 percent. It is not a major concern at this stage of his career, he said, as his muscles are still transitioning from adolescent to adult.

“I just turned 19 so I'm just a kid power-wise,” Williams, Jr. said. “I'm working with (strength trainer) Brian Caldwell to get my strength up. I'm going down to a lighter weight class. I'm at 135 now but I'm going down to 130. I'm learning to be more efficient, to settle down and pick my shots better. Eventually you'll see my knockout ratio go up.”

As an amateur, Williams captured multiple national championships and was an alternate on the 2008 US Olympic team. He hopes to duplicate that success in the pro ranks, not just becoming a world champion but a legend and superstar.

“I'm on my way,” Williams said. “My name is starting to be alerted to the boxing world. There are not a lot of places you can go and mention the name Hylon Williams and find someone who doesn't know me or hasn't seen me fight. I'm taking it step by step and loving every minute of it.”